The present invention is concerned with monitoring conditions at remote chassis or computing stations, and more particularly with systems designed for individual, approximately real-time monitoring of multiple computing stations in an information processing network.
In organizations that depend on the efficient processing and transfer of information, the networking of multiple computers is a common practice. Networking considerably enhances the capacity of each computer on the system, by enabling a rapid transfer of information among the system computers, and by enabling the system computers to share operating programs and other tools used to process system information. As computer networks become increasingly sophisticated and complex, the interdependence among the network computers increases as well, underlining the need for effective monitoring of each chassis or computing station in the network.
In networks that are sufficiently compact, such as those located within a single building or floor of a building, monitoring by direct inspection of the computing stations may be sufficient. Direct inspection can be enhanced by a liquid crystal display (LCD) at each computing station visually indicating status information, or by a visible or audio alarm generated in response to determining fault conditions.
However, in the case of wide area networks (WAN) or networks of computers linked via the Internet, the computing stations of the network typically are separated from one another by distances that render direct inspection costly and inefficient. One known technique for monitoring remote computing stations employs a modem under the control of the computing platform being monitored. However, this involves an added expense of maintaining a telephone connection dedicated to the remote, monitored location, and functions well only when the computer platform being monitored is operative.
A variety of approaches are known for monitoring remote computing devices. U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,476 and No. 5,815,652, issued to Ote, et al., describe a management system for monitoring and controlling the performance of computers on a network in a server system. A server processor board includes a processor independent from the managed computer for monitoring faults in the managed computer and controlling power to the managed computer. A fault detected in the managed computer results in a message sent to the managing computer and a resulting display at the managing computer. The system contemplates coupling to a managing computer either over a local area network (LAN) or a public line.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,411,678 (Tomlinson, Jr., et al.) discloses a diagnostic center and remote stations that form a wide area network (WAN). Each remote station, according to a schedule or responsive to an alarm condition, initiates a telephone communication to a “point-of-presence” server, which can be an internet services provider. Fault data are transferred to the server, and later are retrieved from the server by a diagnostic center. In an alternative approach, the diagnostic center uses a pager to prompt the remote station to initiate the telephone communication.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,255 (Nouri, et al.) features a server that includes a self-contained microcontroller network that monitors and manages the physical environment, regardless of the operational status of the server. Software remote from the server allows a system administrator to query the server status, even when the server is down.
The preceding examples notwithstanding, there is a need for a more reliable system for obtaining virtually real-time status information about each chassis or computing station in a multiple computer network. The system should be operable regardless of the specific platforms and operating systems at the individual computing stations, at minimal cost, and with minimal interference with the routine exchange and processing of data throughout the network. Further, the system should be capable of providing status information concerning a chassis or computing station, even in the event of a failure of that chassis or station.